Transfer adaptor for cigarettes



July 3, 1956 A. LOUDON 2,753,062

TRANSFER ADAPTOR FOR CIGARETTES Filed April 21, 1953 Sheets-sneer 1 A. LOUDON TRANSFER ADAPTOR FOR CIGARETTE-S July 3, 1956 2 Sheets-sneer 2 Filed April 21, 1955 In vevzfofi LOUCZOTZ United States Patent 2,753,062 TRANSFER ADAPTOR FOR CIGARETTES Arthur London, East Preston, Australia Application April 21, 1953, Serial No. 350,134 Claims priority, application Australia August 4, 1952 1 Claim. (Cl. 214-307) This invention relates to the transfer of cigarettes in trays, in which they are dried, into the feeding hoppers of cigarette packaging machines.

At present there are two well known methods and means for performing this transfer operation. According to one method, brown paper straps are inserted in the trays as they are filled from the cigarette making machine and the operator lifts each strap, using both hands, in order to transfer the cigarettes from the tray into the hopper of the packaging machine. Three or four straps have to be provided for each tray and the transfer operations call for considerable skill and deftness. In addition the straps have a short effective life so that their cost is a not inconsiderable item.

According to the other well known method, a special automatic feeder unit is provided and although this may operate efficiently, its cost is high and one of the units is required for each packaging machine. The mechanism of the unit is rather complicated so that in the event of a breakdown, packaging operations are likely to be suspended for a long period.

In contrast with the foregoing, the present invention provides a most simple adaptor device, which is readily applied to the trays and enables the transfer operations to be carried out with the utmost ease, rapidity and convenience. The adaptor devices will last indefinitely so that the first cost is the last.

The trays comprise two upstanding opposite end members spanned by a horizontal bottom member and adapted to support a stack or pile of cigarettes extending horizontally from the open front of the tray to the rear thereof. The adaptor device of the invention comprises a flat panel of substantially the same length and height of the tray so as to be capable of being positioned to form a closure for the normally open front of the tray, and two co-acting flaps connected at their outer ends to the panel about pivots that outstand perpendicularly from the inner face of the panel adjacent its opposite ends so that when the flaps extend horizontally, or approximately so, their free ends overlap each other, whereby a tray and the adaptor device may be manipulated as hereinafter described in order to facilitate transfer of the cigarettes to the feed hopper of a packaging machine.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawings which relate to a preferred practical embodiment. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a device;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views showing different stages in the transfer of the cigarettes from the tray into the hopper.

As seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the trays with which the transfer adaptor devices are to be used consist of upstanding opposite end members 2 spanned by a horizontal bottom member 3 so that a quantity of cigarettes 4 may be stacked or piled upon or within the tray so as to extend horizontally from the front thereof to the rear. The width of the trays usually corresponds with the length of the cigarettes.

perspective view of the transfer adaptor 2,753,062 Patented July 3, 1956 According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention and as best seen in Figure 1, the transfer adaptor device includes a flat sheet or panel 6 of rectangular shape and of substantially the same length and height as the tray so that it can be positioned at the front of the tray to constitute a closure which may contact with the adjacent ends of the cigarettes.

The panel is provided with a pair of co-acting flaps '7 preferably of rectangular shape and of a width substantially the same as that of the tray, measured from front to rear. These two flaps are pivoted at their outer ends to the panel about axes which outstand perpendicularly from the inner face of the panel adjacent its opposite ends, i. e. near one of its horizontal edges and near the respective vertical edges. The flaps are thus disposed edgewise to the panel and when they extend horizontally, or approximately so, their free ends should overlap each other to a moderate extent as in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

While any suitable construction may be adopted for the pivotal mounting of the flaps, it will be convenient to employ for each flap a pivot pin 8 which is secured at one end to the panel and has an enlargement at its outer end 9, and for the intermediate portion of the pin to be embraced by the return bend of a U-shaped yoke 11 secured to the outer end of the flap 7.

it will be advantageous for the panel and the flaps to be formed from transparent plastic sheet material such as that known under the registered trademarks Perspex or Lucite.

In use, the operator applies the adaptor to a cigaretteloaded tray so that the panel 6 extends vertically at the front of the tray while the two flaps extend horizontally in overlapped relationship above the cigarettes in the tray as indicated in Figure 2. The tray, with the adaptor in position, is then lifted and inverted by the operator and placed between the side members 12 of the packaging machine hopper 13 as indicated in Figure 3. While so moving the tray and adaptor into that position, the pivoted flaps 7 will be prevented by one hand of the operator from premature downward swinging. The operator then releases the flaps so that they can swing downwardly away from each other to allow the cigarettes to fall from the tray, as indicated in Figure 4, can be deposited in an orderly fashion in the hopper so that they can mix with the cigarettes already in the hopper. The tray and adaptor are then raised clear of the hopper and removed ready for the next cycle of operations.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A transfer adaptor device for use with a tray for charging the feed hopper of a cigarette packaging machine wherein the tray comprises two upstanding opposite end members spanned by a horizontal bottom member and is adapted to support a stack or pile of cigarettes extending horizontally from the open front of the tray to the rear thereof, said adaptor device comprising a flat panel of substantially the same length and height as the tray so as to be capable of being positioned to form a closure for the normally open front of the tray, and two co-acting flaps connected at their outer ends to the panel about pivots that outstand perpendicularly from the inner face of the panel adjacent its opposite ends so that when the flaps extend horizontally or approximately so, their free ends overlap each other, whereby the tray and the adaptor device may be manipulated to facilitate transfer of cigarettes to the feed hopper of the packaging machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,811 Taylor Apr. 28, 1936 2,605,909 Molins et a1 Aug. 5, 1952 2,664,218 Johnson Dec. 29, 1953 

